


Late Night Escapades

by caffeinatedmoo



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: ...but only for magnus, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Boarding School, Confused Magnus Bane, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mysterious Alec Lightwood, POV Magnus Bane, Protective Alec Lightwood, Roommates, Sibling Love, Slow Burn, Witchcraft, a lot of secretive shit, alec is a closeted softie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:27:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29190780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caffeinatedmoo/pseuds/caffeinatedmoo
Summary: "A family secretly plotting murders? Right under our noses? Oh, how scandalous!"'My existence is a scandal', Magnus thought bitterly.---Magnus and Alec are roommates. Magnus is the new kid. Alec is hiding something. They spiral down a series of VERY unfortunate events.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 40
Kudos: 47





	1. New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Theme for this chapter: Mariage d'Amour - Paul de Senneville

“Let it be known that Magnus Bane has an insurmountable amount of luck!”

" _Ragnor_ ”, Magnus growled, “that isn’t true and you know it.”

“Oh, please. You and I both know that your father is going a lot easier on you than what would have been normally expected.”

“Yes well, therein lies your answer: nothing about my family _is_ normal. Is it?”

At that, Ragnor sobered down, thankfully having caught the somber tone in Magnus’ voice. He slowly walked over to the window sill, where Magnus was packing up his clothes, and sat down, his movements wary.

“Oh, old friend. You have to know that I was just pulling your leg. I’m just saying that perhaps things could be a lot worse for you right now than having to change schools.”

“It’s not about changing schools! It’s about _why_ he’s asking me to leave.”

“And why does he want you gone?”

“Because he said, and I quote, ‘It’s a lot easier having to deal with you when you’re halfway across the country’. And before you ask, I’m _not_ exaggerating.”

Ragnor simply sighed and looked out the window, watching the raindrops slowly patter against the glass. He knew Magnus was upset. Anyone would be if they were in his position, but he had expected Asmodeus to react in a more violent, less _dismissing_ manner (not that he was about to remind Magnus of the same).

So he sat in silence and watched his friend huffing around while throwing things into his suitcase with the kind of anger only a 5-year-old whose candy had just been stolen would show.

They whiled around for 2 more hours, packing and chatting before the clock in the room showed that it was 7. 

‘ _Showtime_ ’, Magnus thought bitterly while Ragnor just grimaced and carried one of his 2 suitcases down the stairs.

Magnus lived in a large mansion in the outer areas of Chicago. His father was a prominent businessman, known for making unreasonable deals with seedy corporations that somehow perpetually turned out to be profitable. Magnus knew what the _real_ reason for his father’s success was, but he wasn’t about to go spilling it to everyone. Self-preservation was a real thing after all.

They left his room, walking slowly, and reached the end of the hallway. Magnus looked down to his father at the bottom of the stairs, tapping away furiously on his phone, looking as he always did; which is to say, irritated.

Ragnor could see the hesitation on his friend’s face so he decided to go down first, with Magnus painfully following suit. Asmodeus looked up from his phone at the footsteps and noticed them. Quickly, he plastered a bored expression on his face.

‘ _Who’s he trying to fool, there isn’t even anyone around_ ’, Magnus thought, rolling his eyes subtly.

When they finally got down, Asmodeus simply looked on, not saying a word, the both of them fighting the urge to run away under his intense gaze. Magnus knew what this look meant. He had seen it a couple of hundred times already. His body reacted to it too. It was almost pavlovian at this point. The way his fathers look led to a surge in his senses. The way he could suddenly feel every swept of the wind over his pores, even if they were indoors. The way the goosebumps began to rise as if feeling the cold dread in the room. The way he would play with his hands, or tap his feet to the ground subconsciously, aware of what was to come. 

He knew what this was. It was anxiety. It was living in constant fear.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of profound silence, Asmodeus spoke up, still boring his eyes into Magnus’. “The flight leaves in 3 hours, you leave now”, he said. Magnus turned around towards the door. “And if I hear any complaints from that school, then you are going to regret it”, his father gritted through his teeth.

\---

The car pulled up to the airport, having been a few minutes late. Magnus rushed out and gathered his things before an attendant came to pick his luggage up and guide him to check-in. Perks of being rich, he guessed. Before he headed off, he turned back once to see Ragnor peeking out of the car, in an attempt to look nonchalant. He looked a little pathetic, but it was the thought that counted right?

Magnus smiled and walked back. Ragnor made a straight face and opened the window.

“I’ll miss you”, Magnus said fondly.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”

“Aren’t you gonna miss me too”, he asked, grinning widely now.

“Maybe”, Ragnor muttered.

“Well, I’m not leaving until you say it clearly Ragnor”, Magnus said, now comfortably leaning against the car door.

The driver at the front of the car huffed out a laugh and Ragnor rolled his eyes at Magnus’ antics. “Oh alright, alright!”

He stepped out the door hastily and pulled Magnus into a short yet firm hug. “I’ll only say this once so listen closely. I will miss you”, Ragnor whispered, as if regaling a forbidden conspiracy. Magnus knew it took a little more than him leaving to soften Ragnor’s stern edges, but he supposed this would do. After a few pats on the back, the two friends let each other go and Magnus walked away without looking back, knowing Ragnor would do the same.

\---

Magnus looked out the window as they flew over the wide New York skyline. He could see a variety of skyscrapers, all seeming to tower over each other. He never really liked this city. He had accompanied his father a fair number of times and failed to see the appeal of New York. To him, it was just filled with typical, provincial stockbrokers or rude, most-likely-to-die-of-a-car-accident taxi drivers. There was a fair amount of diversity in food and maybe a few good places for shopping but that was it. Although no amount of New York street food or high fashion would convince him to stay here for more than 48 hours. 

He sighed softly and began walking down the plane aisle to leave after the regular announcements were done. When he stepped out, he was hit with the usual gusto wind and wrapped his coat around himself a little tighter. It was pretty late at night and he was bound to catch a cold if he didn’t get into a heated car soon. 

He made quick work at the baggage collecting counter and left before the crowds of people could smother him. ‘ _Typical New Yorkers’_ , he thought with disdain as a man bumped into him while leaving a rush. _Nothing else seems to matter when they have to get somewhere_.

He saw a man holding a small placard with the name ‘Bane’ written on it in bold letters.

_How ironic._

Magnus walked towards the presumed driver who recognized him instantly. It was a short journey to the hotel he was staying at overnight and Magnus crashed as soon as he got in, not even bothering to change.

\---

The soft breeze was rustling through the trees as the leaves gracefully fell to the ground. Fall was seeping in and there was a soft bloom of oranges and reds everywhere Magnus looked. It was beautiful. It hadn’t snowed in New York yet, but it was bound to start soon. The car was cruising on the empty road and the GPS showed that they were bound to reach their destination in 30 minutes or so. 

Magnus had driven away from the city and deeper into the countryside. Everywhere he looked, there were trees and fields of weeds with white flowers in bloom. His new boarding school was apparently in the middle of nowhere, but the staff had claimed that the serenity and seclusion guaranteed students discipline with no chance at any distractions. 

_Sounds peachy_ , Magnus had thought when he read the flyer. But it wasn’t like he could do much about it.

He had woken up that morning after a night of fitful sleeping and taken a long warm shower, packed his bag. Again. Because he was that much of a neat freak and left as early as possible. 

After a while, the car pulled up on a patchy road, much less comfortable of a drive than the highway they were just on. The trees around them got a little darker around this area. They even increased in number, he noticed. It seemed weird. It had gotten a little clouder too, with the sky just a shade more foreboding. It was as if nature itself was trying to conceal this place.

They reached a large wooden gate with fencing encompassing it. Magnus could see an ominous-looking manor just beyond the tree line at the far end. It would have looked abandoned if not for the 2 people standing at the front door, chatting about something.

“This is where I leave you”, the driver said.

“What? I’m just supposed to walk all the way now?”

“It’s not that far”, he reasoned, looking a little guilty.

“Oh come on, the road sucks. I’ll have to carry my bags too. It’s just a little further.”

“Look man, if I go in, the road will become too narrow for me to take a u-turn.”

_Serves you well for wanting a big-ass town car._

“Ugh, fine.”

He got out of the car and the driver at least had the courtesy to help him with the bags. Soon after opening the main gate, he got in the car and left. 

“Here goes nothing”, Magnus muttered, dragging the bags along with the dirt and walking into the estate.

\---

“Oh, you must be Magnus Bane! I’m Abigail Reed, headmistress of Pinewood Academy. And this here is Raphael”, the lady at the front said, pointing to the short boy beside her. He gave Magnus a dull expression. His short black hair was neatly styled and his hands were in his pockets, which he promptly removed to shake Magnus’ hand.

“Raphael Santiago.”

“Magnus Bane, nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

_The face says otherwise, but sure._

“Come in, come in! I have so much to show you, Mr Bane.”

Magnus grimaced slightly. “Uh, Mr Bane is my father, I’d prefer it if you called me Magnus”, he said, trying to sound as stern but respectful as possible.

Abigail gave him a long look, before softly smiling and nodding.

As Magnus began dragging his suitcases along, Ms Reed spoke up again. “Don’t worry about those, we’ll have someone to carry them to your dorm for you. Follow me!”

And with that, she walked away in splendor.

The trio walked into the building together as Abigail gave him a short tour of the campus, pointing out the classrooms, dorm wings, and grounds. 

“We have a variety of amenities here at Pinewood, as I’m sure you already know”, she said smiling a little too brightly. “The dorms are fully equipped with kitchens, double air-conditioning and heaters, walk-in closets, and private baths. Near the student center, which is open 24-hours, you’ll find gourmet cafes, resort-style pools, and an amphitheater where we sometimes hold movie nights. The dorm common areas also include media rooms for presentations and soundproof music rooms.”

She seemed to go like that for a few more minutes but Magnus had basically tuned her out because he had zero interest to listen to a teacher bragging about her state-of-the-art school. Even he had to admit, the school was jazzed-out, but he missed _home_. He missed Ragnor.

They finally got to her office where she sat down at her desk and handed Magnus and a small folder. 

“In there, you’ll find our schedule for the classes, a map of the grounds, and a list of pre-planned school events that are to take place this year”, she said with a smile.

“Thank you, and thank you for the tour as well, the estate is beautiful”, Mangus said, putting on his best smile.

After all, it's necessary to make an effort and get people to approve of you.

“Oh, thank you, I’ll admit it has been well-preserved through the years. The building is almost 200 years old. We’ve had many renovations over the years, but I’m glad that the old American architecture is still in place.”

Magnus nodded along.

“Ms. Reed, should I show him to the rooms”, Raphael asked politely.

“Oh yes, of course! Go on then Magnus, I will see you tomorrow. Have a good day.”

\---

It was clear that Raphael didn’t speak much. Magnus figured out that the boy was rather keen on staying at back and observing rather than being the centre of the attention. He appreciated it too. Although he and Raphael were polar opposites, he had a feeling they’d get along well.

Neither spoke much as Raphael walked swiftly around the hallways to the boy’s dorm wing and Magnus nimbly followed, trying to memorize as much of the route as he could.

They finally reached a wooden door in the middle of a hallway, facing a large set of ceiling-to-floor windows that revealed the forest behind the estate. “Here’s your room”, Raphael said, pointing to the door.

“If you need anything, just let me know. I’m in room 414.” And with that, he walked away, disappearing behind one of the pillars. Magnus looked up and saw that he was in room 403.

He opened the door and peeked in to see someone slouched over the desk, scribbling something on a piece of paper. 

Magnus opened the door a little wider and saw the room in its full glory.

 _Oh wow_ , he thought lamely. He suddenly wondered how much his father was paying to keep him here. The thought made him scowl.

The boy was still scribbling furiously on the paper so Magnus cleared his throat in an attempt to be noticed.

He suddenly stopped and slowly turned around, standing up.

_Oh. Wow._

The first thing Magnus noticed was that the man was tall. Really tall. He had a sharp bone structure, broad shoulders, and untamed soft raven hair. His skin was pale, yet somehow glistening in the sunlight which gave him an ethereal glow in stark contrast to the dark clothes he was wearing. He had serene, dark eyes covered by matted lashes. Magnus gave him a once-over and noticed that the man was now openly smirking.

That brought him crashing back into reality.

“Hi. I’m uh… Magnus. Bane. New kid.”

_That was smooth._

“Alec. Lightwood. Old kid.”

“Right, right. Yeah…”

“Are you okay? You seem a little out of it.”

“No no, I’m fine… just tired. Long journey and all.”

“Right, well why don’t you sit down”, he said, pointing to one of the beds.

Magnus noticed that Alec’s side of the room was filled with study books and the bed had been made, but other than that, there weren’t a lot of knick-knacks to fill the space.

He moved to the unused bed and sat down with a flop, Alec watching him with his big eyes.

 _They’re so pretty_ , Magnus thought wistfully, before realizing that he was staring again.

“So, I take it you’re my roommate?”

“That’s right”, Alec replied swiftly.

“Good. That-that’s good.”

Alec smiled a little before grabbing his jacket and the paper he was writing on earlier and turning towards the door. “I gotta go somewhere, but I’ll give you time to settle in. See you around.”

And with that, he left.

Well, _that_ was dismissal if Magnus had ever seen one. And here he thought they were gonna hit it off. _That’s what you get for hoping, Bane_ , he thought sadly. 

It was certainly going to be an interesting year.


	2. At First Glance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Looking at the Lightwoods?”
> 
> “The what?”
> 
> “The Lightwoods”, she repeated, as if it was obvious that Magnus was supposed to know who they were. When Magnus continued to sport a confused look, Cat decided to clear his doubts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you’re wondering what Pinewood looks like, think Hogwarts.
> 
> Theme for this chapter: Vivaldi Variation - Florian Christl

The first day of official classes was a blur of events. After unpacking and setting up his desk, Magnus had worn himself out and fallen asleep before Alec came back. He wondered whether Alec actually _did_ make it back or not, because the next morning, Magnus remained alone in the room.

When the alarm rang, he thought about lazing around in bed all day before realizing that he was in fact, _not_ at home. With a newfound rush of adrenaline, he ran to the bathroom, took a cold shower, threw on the uniform and blazer, and ran out the door.

His schedule said that he had breakfast from 8 to 9 AM so he headed to the common cafeteria. The map was exhausting to interpret and he was running low on energy anyway, not quite remembering the last meal he had. He appeared to be in a state of disarray but was too unbothered to fix himself up.

The cafeteria was a large open hall with a variety of foods displayed flawlessly at the far end and a series of tables and chairs arranged in all sorts of seating combinations. With Magnus being one of the few new students at Pinewood, he knew that he’d probably have a tough time figuring out where he belongs in the ever-dynamic social hierarchy. However, before he could start walking around aimlessly, someone called his name from one of the tables at the left and he looked in the direction of the voice to see a young woman waiving at him vigorously. She waved him over and he knew he had no choice but to go. The last thing Magnus needed at this point was for people to call him finicky.

He walked over to see 3 people sitting around a round table, all with their plates full and smiling brightly at him. The girl who waved him over spoke first. “Hi, there! I’m Catarina, but you can call me Cat, everyone does.”

Magnus was still wondering as to how Cat knew his name when a stoic-looking Raphael showed up from behind him, occupying a seat at the table. “Good morning. Hope you slept well.”

“Like a baby”, Magnus replied easily. “And I’d introduce myself, but it seems as though you already know me”, he continued, looking at Cat.

She didn’t look the least bit guilty as she smirked and pointed to Raphael. “Raph here told us about you. Said there’s a new kid to watch out for.”

“Oh?”

“I know that this place can be a bit daunting. Do you wanna join us for breakfast?”

The offer seemed genuine and Cat’s companions at the table were giving Magnus hopeful looks so he caved in and said, “sure, why not.”

He went over to grab some fruit and toast while Cat and the others made space for him at the table. After returning, he gingerly sat down and the other two students introduced themselves as Clary and Simon. 

Clary was a fiery redhead who seemed to have a keen interest in art while Simon was a shy albeit smart kid who couldn’t seem to stop rambling. Magnus noted the rather odd dynamic between the 4, all of whom were stellar opposite but somehow got along famously. Cat’s wit, Simon’s awkwardness, Clary’s acceptance, and Raphael’s impassiveness created a comfortable environment and Magnus soon found himself laughing along to Simon’s ridiculous impressions of a teacher.

He looked around the hall to see some of the other students and noticed a small table in the corner, where a group sat isolated from the rest of the crowd. He noted a blonde boy and raven-haired girl sitting facing him. They were both extremely good looking but were speaking in low tones and had an inexplicable character about them. The pair were joined by a man, who’s back was facing Magnus so he couldn’t make out his face. Magnus shifted a little in his seat to get a better view of him when suddenly Cat cleared her throat next to him.

“Looking at the Lightwoods?”

“The what?”

“The Lightwoods”, she repeated, as if it was obvious that Magnus was supposed to know who they were. When Magnus continued to sport a confused look, Cat decided to clear his doubts.

“That’s Isabelle Lightwood and Jace Wayland. And the other one whose face you can’t see is Alec Lightwood, their older brother.”

“Oh yeah, I know Alec. He’s my roommate”, Magus said casually.

The moment those words left his lips, everyone on the table stopped what they were doing and turned around to face him. The sudden attention was a little unnerving.

“What?”

“ _Alec Lightwood_ is your roommate?” Magnus looked over to see that Clary had just asked him that question looking a little scared.

“Umm, yes? Is there something wrong with that?”

Clary continued to look wary, Simon looked a little incredulous, Raphael was simply giving Magnus _another_ dry look and Cat looked like she’d be anywhere else. When no one said anything, Cat yielded and gave Magnus an explanation.

“The Lightwoods are weird people, Magnus.”

“That’s putting it lightly”, Raphael interrupted with a small huff of his breath.

Cat gave him a look that basically said _shut up_ and continued. “What I mean is that they’ve been here probably the longest out of everyone and haven’t spoken a word to anyone unless _absolutely_ necessary. They don’t pay attention in classes, mostly just gazing out of the windows, and the blonde one’s known to be violent sometimes. Even when it’s a movie night or another festival or something, they never come. They leave every class the moment it ends and no one’s ever heard anything about their family. God knows if they even have one.”

By the time Cat finished speaking, Magnus had a lot of questions.

_Why didn’t they speak to anyone?_

_Where are they from?_

_Why did Alec speak to him the day before?_

_Why didn’t Alec come back into the room?_

_Where did he stay the night?_

_When did he even have time to get ready?_

Of course, he didn’t ask any of these and instead chose to shrug carelessly and focus back on his fruit, “Am I supposed to be afraid of something”, he asked, laughing slightly in an attempt to lighten the mood.

It must have worked because Simon smiled brightly. “Nah man don’t worry about that. Alec will probably do his best to stay out of your way. Now if it was Jace you were rooming with, then there would be a problem”, he said laughing.

Everyone grinned a little and went back to their conversation. Magnus on the other hand was left a lot more doubtful than he had been that morning.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Lightwoods get up and leave in a uniform line, with everyone parting the way for them.

\---

After finishing breakfast, everyone went their separate ways to their first classes of the day. Pinewood ensured that students had a holistic development so Magnus was required to choose a language, an elective, _and_ a sport. Aside from the usual array of maths, sciences, and literature, he had also opted to take up Spanish classes, since he already learned it in school and chose football as his sport. 

After spending a long 15 minutes trying to navigate his way through the walls covered in intricate patterns and stone designs, he finally found the math classroom. Upon walking in, he quickly took a seat in the back and waited patiently for the teacher to walk in. He looked around the room, observing the students that he was expected to spend the rest of the year with. They didn’t strike him as anything particularly exceptional. All stereotypical high-school kids too self-indulgent to witness the world around them. Everyone was exceptionally ordinary. Except for one boy. He too was sitting at the very end of the room, with his head ducked deep into a journal he seemed to be studying. Alec Lightwood. Magnus recognized him with ease.

Somehow, seeing Alec sitting there, utterly oblivious to everyone around him, including Magnus, simmered a feeling of resentment deep within his bones. How could Alec just _pretend_ like they weren’t supposed to literally live together? And what was this facade that he was putting on? It made him want to sit Alec down and interrogate him. But his thoughts were quickly cut off when the professor walked in and began making introductions.

 _Maybe after class_ , he thought, focusing on the board.

\---

_So much for the interrogation._

After a particularly long lesson about function derivatives, Magnus finally seemed to get a break from math. The bell rang loud and clear, its shrill cacophony ringing through the corridors. All the students gathered their belongings and began walking out the door. Before Magnus could even close his notebooks, Alec floated past him and out the door.

It was mid-morning by the time his class ended and the sun was shining radiantly, illuminating every nook and corner of the estate. Most of the hallways were crowded with students heading to their next class or collecting things from their dormitories. Magnus knew his next lesson was global politics, and he knew that it was in the west wing. Of course, the west wing was nearly 3000 square feet of land which meant that it was embarrassingly easy to get lost. He picked up his pace, trying to figure out the labyrinth-like arrangement. He kept walking, further and further into the mansion. The rays of sunlight were now dimming, growing fainter by the second. Students were dwindling until there weren’t any at all and suddenly, he came across the same wing that had crossed not two minutes ago. “That’s weird”, he murmured to himself as he slowly walked ahead again.

He was about to take the same turn for the fifth time when he heard soft whispers coming from the other side of the wall.

“... not true… can’t mix up with these people...”, whispered someone calmly as if trying to placate the other person.

“I know what I’m doing Jace”, came a much more agitated reply, yet still whispering feverishly.

Magnus recognized Alec’s voice the moment he heard it.

“Would you relax...saying that it’s not safe...risking lives…”

“....meddling in _my_ matters…..got this…”

As Magnus leaned over to listen more clearly, the voices ended abruptly and he heard footsteps going down the hall before completely fading away.

Magnus turned and peaked his head out over the corner to reveal an empty hallway, with only the ghosts of footsteps echoing lingering behind.

\---

It was a little after 4 that the classes finally came to a halt. Had Magnus known running around the mansion would be so tiring, he would have opted not to choose a sport at all. It took him a solid 10 minutes trying to figure out where the dormitories were, and once he reached his room, he knew that he needed a long nap to recover from the day’s workout. 

He threw open the door, not expecting anyone to be inside only to find the door to the ensuite open simultaneously and reveal Alec come out shirtless wearing only a pair of grey sweatpants. His hair was wet from the shower he had just taken and Magnus was left gawking at the sight before him. His bare chest and toned abs were left completely on display as the door to the bathroom closed behind him, covering the room in an eerie silence. Magnus tried to say something, but the words were stuck in his throat as Alec slowly started walking towards him at a torturously slow pace.

Magnus began backing up as Alec came closer, eventually meeting the table that was placed next to the door. Now that Alec was close enough, Magnus could see the steady steam coming off his body as the little beads of water had stuck to his skin.

Breathing became difficult, and he could practically feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest as Alec came closer. Neither of them said a word, maintaining eye-contact all the while. Then, ever so slowly, Alec lifted his hand and placed it on the table behind Magnus, essentially crowding him against it. He was in such near proximity that Magnus caught a whiff of his woodsy shampoo. Suddenly, his lips were dry, too dry and his breaths were exceedingly expiring. Alec began leaning over, his breath ghosting along Magnus’ temple--

Magnus jerked as Alec pulled away abruptly only to reveal him holding a phone in his hand. _The phone he had grabbed from the table you were blocking_ , his brain helpfully supplied. Alec backed off towards the closet, all the while doing something unnecessary on his phone whereas Magnus was left paralyzed on the spot, unable to move due to the tightness in the air that had befallen him.

After a painfully long minute, Alec came back, now wearing a shirt ( _thank god_ ). Magnus took longer than necessary to catch up with the moment and when he did, he was certainly confused about whether or not they were going to address the elephant in the room.

“So, how was your first day here”, Alec asked politely.

_Okay, they weren’t going to._

“Good”, Magnus replied curtly. He knew he had to be doing something with his hands, so he began rummaging through his desk.

Alec hummed along and the conversation had seemingly come to an end. Magnus knew he had to do the deed sometime, so why not now?

“Why didn’t you come back to the room last night”, he asked, still not looking directly at Alec in an attempt at nonchalance.

Alec didn’t reply immediately, as expected. But he could feel Alec’s eyes on his back and the awareness was killing him. After a long minute, Alec finally said, “I had some work with my brother, so I stayed in his room.”

“Will you be staying here tonight, then?”

“Yes”

“Good, that’s good”.

After that, neither of them spoke much. Alec picked up a book from the shelf and started reading, while Magnus started working on his homework for the day.

At half-past 7, Magnus left the dorm for dinner, promptly sat with Raphael and the others, all the while noticing that Alec hadn’t attended dinner. “Strange”, he muttered to himself.

“What is?”

Magnus looked over to see Cat looking at him with beady eyes, clearly expecting an honest reply.

“Just that they didn't attend dinner”, he said, pointing to the Lightwood table, which, even though they weren’t here, was still unoccupied.

“You’ll get used to it. They never do”, Cat said, like it was the most normal thing in the world and she went back to her meal.

\---

The clock revealed the time to be 1:58 AM when Magnus heard the door creak open slowly. He stayed put, not daring to move as Alec put on a pair of boots and slipped out quietly into the night. After waiting for a few seconds, he slowly peaked out of his covers and saw that he was indeed alone. Magnus knew something odd was going on, and he wasn’t going to wait around to find out what kind of questionable feats Alec Lightwood and his siblings were up to, so he ended up grabbing a thick jacket and a pair of boots, leaving the room as well.

The hallways outside his room were empty and neither could he hear any footsteps. He knew it was going to be a tedious task to find Alec in this enormous mansion, but right now, with his peaked curiosity, he was willing to take the risks.

As he was about to run down the left hall, he saw a small dark figure walking towards the line of trees from the large windows in front of his door. By stepping closer, the figure revealed himself to be a tall man with dark hair that was undoubtedly Alec.

Once he reached the tree-line, Alec looked back to see if anyone had followed him. On confirming that indeed, no one had, he stepped towards the forest and away from Magnus’ sight.

And of course, at this moment, there was only one thing to be done. Follow Alec. So Magnus did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are appreciated!


	3. Through The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He knew that even if it would kill him, he would uncover the enigma that is Alexander Lightwood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme for this chapter: Glass : Suite from 'The Hours' - Movement One

His footsteps were echoing loudly as they hit the wet field. There were dewdrops everywhere and the cold was slowly seeping into his jacket, making him shiver uncontrollably. Alec had disappeared behind the tree line a while ago, and Magnus had taken an unbearably long time to leave the estate and get to the grounds. He was almost sure that finding Alec in the forest would be a fool’s errand.

He slowly got up to the tree line and hid behind a thick bark to make sure that no one spotted him. When slowly peaking over to look for any movements, and seeing none, he decided to move forward. _There’s a horribly high chance that I’m about to get murdered_ , he thought, walking slowly into the swarthy dark.

He kept walking for as far as his feet would carry him. He could feel cold beads of sweat slowly making their way down his temple. His feet were now hurting due to the chilly air and he could feel his eyes stinging. It was all signs of his body begging him to go back and return to his peaceful sleep, but something kept pulling him forward. He suspected it was his unhealthy need to uncover Alec’s secrets.

After walking for a few more minutes and hearing nothing. He decided that this was a wasted effort. There were probably wild animals this deep in the forest and he was in no mood to become a late-night snack. He turned around to head back to the dorms when suddenly there was a loud _snap_ echoing through the silence, breaking it. He froze in place, paralyzed by the pure panic running through his body, when his instincts kicked in and he ran behind a tree again, sinking into himself, making himself look as small as possible. He waited for a few more seconds before hearing a couple of footsteps and more snaps as they broke twigs lying on the ground. Whispers became louder and clearer and 3 hooded, dark figures approached the tree where Magnus was. They walked at a leisurely pace, seemingly not having spotted Magnus.

As they came into the little place illuminated by moonlight, their faces became intelligible. Magnus may have been tired and worn-out from the cold and fear, but he sure as hell wasn’t delusional and those were the Lightwood siblings forming a triangle in the middle of the forest, holding hands. He stood uneasily close to him. If he moved even an inch, he knew they’d see him and god knows what that would lead to.

Their hands were clasped tightly, and they seemed to be murmuring something incomprehensible. _What is going on_ , Magnus thought, panicking more and more by the second. Suddenly, a harsh breeze flew by him and it was unnervingly quiet as if nature itself had gone still. The Lightwoods stopped murmuring and slowly looked up. There was something different about their body language. Their fluid, languid motions didn’t look graceful anymore, but rather threatening. The blank looks on their faces were no longer calming, but rather inhuman. Magnus stayed put, intently looking at Alec and straining his ears to hear something, _anything_ he could.

His sister, Izzy, if he remembered right, spoke up first. “That should do it”, she mumbled.

The blonde one, Jace, sighed loudly and began pacing around relentlessly. “This is a nightmare. I can’t believe we have only a month left!”

“Jace would you _calm down_ ”, Alec seethed, motioning for him to stop yelling. “Barking around like this isn’t going to help.”

“Well then what do _you_ expect me to do Alec!”

Alec marched forward to grab Jace by his jacket but before he could land his first punch Izzy stormed up to them and pulled them apart. “Stop it! Both of you! This isn’t what we’re here for! We can’t waste our time with stupid fights. The only way we’ll ever get past this rule is if we work _together_.”

Hearing their little sister pacifying them seemed to calm them down by a fraction. Jace smoothed down his jacket while Alec ran his fingers through his hair.

“So what now”, Jace asked, his voice more subdued, with a tone of sadness creeping into it.

“I don’t know”, Alec replied. His entire figure radiated hopelessness. The way that his shoulders had hunched down and his hands were holding his head made him seem like a 10-year-old boy rather than what Magnus had seen previously. He seemed to have shed his facade around his siblings and appeared more manifested than before.

Izzy seemed to have noticed this too because she slowly walked up to Alec and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry big brother. We’re not going to hurt anyone. Not this time.”

Magnus wished they would stop speaking in tongues. Hurt people? What was that supposed to mean? How were they going to hurt people? Or rather, _not_ hurt them.

“I just hope so Iz. I’m so tired of hearing about this fucked up tradition. It doesn’t matter if it’s been done for so long, I will _not_ go through with it.” Jace began nodding along to Alec’s little speech, looking determined.

Izzy looked a little pensive. She regarded Alec with what looked like pride but there was also something else in her eyes. Melancholy, maybe? “Alec, what if there isn’t a choice?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a tradition for a reason. I’m sure we’re not the first people to be opposed to this law. But everyone has done it. We will be forced to.”

 _Forced to do wha_ t, Magnus thought impatiently.

Alec looked up from the ground. With steel in his eyes, he said, “I don’t care if it’s tradition Isabelle. I am _not_ going to kill anybody.”

\---

As soon as Alec said the words, Magnus felt his heartbeat stop for a few seconds. Everything else went blank in his mind. The curiosity, the excitement, even the fear was gone. Replaced with cold dread. 

He knew the Lightwoods were bound to do something against the rules, but he never even thought about murder. And his parents were murderers too? _It all made sense now_ , he thought. Time was ticking, and it didn’t seem like the Lightwood’s were planning on moving from their spot for much longer. So Magnus decided to take matters into his own hands and escape the forest. He knew he’d be safe back at the school. All he had to do was leave unseen and get far enough to be shrouded by the darkness.

Unfortunately, in all this madness, he had forgotten that the forest floor was littered with twigs and little sticks, so he took a harsh step back, and a cacophony of branches breaking reverberated through the woods.

Jace, Izzy, and Alec turned around swiftly in one motion, almost as if it had been practiced, and raised their hands as if wielding something invisible. Magnus thought, _fuck it_ , and began running. From behind him, he could hear shouts and distinct yelling, but he kept his feet going. The rush of adrenaline made him run faster than he ever had before. He wasn’t sure if anyone was following him, but honestly, at the moment, he didn’t bother looking back. After a few minutes of sprinting around, he saw the faint silhouette of the estate and felt hope blossom in his chest. He ran faster towards the west wing of the dorms and entered the large back door used for entrance from the fields. 

Once inside, he knew exactly where he had to be, and so he rushed to Ms. Reed’s office, ready to expose Alec Lightwood and his murderous siblings.

\---

"A family secretly plotting murders? Right under our noses? Oh, how scandalous!"

' _My existence is a scandal_ ', Magnus thought bitterly.

It seemed as though Ms. Reed was taking this in a rather unusual manner. Instead of calling for action and speaking to Alec’s parents as he had expected, she instead chose to be rather dramatic and exclaims around, as if this was all an act.

Once Magnus had told her about Alec sneaking out and meeting his siblings in a dense forest at 3 AM, all while discussing killing people, she had simply scowled, taken it all in, and talked about how Pinewood was taking the finest of safety measures and that Magnus was probably the victim of a silly prank.

He sighed in disbelief and asked her to call the Lightwoods themselves. 

“See if they’re lying. They won’t even be in their rooms when you go looking for them”, he said confidently.

Ms. Reed looked a little skeptical, but eventually gave in and decided to ask one of the security guards (where _were_ they when Alec decided to stroll away to the forest) to go call the Lightwoods.

He returned a while later and Magnus began smirking to revel in his advantage when Alec came in, followed by Izzy and lastly, Jace. The three of them had plastered similar looks of confusion on their faces and were dressed head to toe in their night suits as if they never left the building. They looked sluggish as if having just gotten out of bed, any signs of them returning from the forest having disappeared. 

Magnus’ jaw dropped in incredulity and from the corner of his eye, he could swear he saw Jace smirk a little before painting on the expression from before.

“Is that a problem, Ms. Reed”, Alec asked politely.

“Mr. Lightwood, I apologize for waking you and your siblings up at this hour, but it seems that Magnus here saw the three of you outside campus a few minutes ago, discussing…”

Alec looked on, while Ms. Reed was clearly embarrassed to say it out loud.

“...murder”, she finished, grimacing a little.

Before Alec could reply, Jace scoffed loudly. “Well, I’m pretty sure he’s lying. We were all fast asleep when Gerald here woke us up, banging on our doors”, he said, pointing to the guard, whose name was apparently Gerald.

“You’re the one who’s lying! I know what I saw and heard. The three of you were caught and I don’t know how you made it back here before I did, but I still stand by what I said!”

He turns to Ms. Reed, hoping to convince her instead. 

“Ms. Reed, I swear I’m not lying. You have to believe me. They’re planning on killing people. They even held hands and were murmuring something. I’m telling you, there’s something very wrong going on here!”

“Oh really? And what proof do you have aside from the fact that ‘you saw us’”, Jace said, now clearly agitated.

Magnus contemplated his question for a moment before realizing that he indeed, had no proof. The vice-principal was certainly not going to believe him by word of mouth. He needed concrete evidence.

Jace smirked again, this time openly. “See what I mean? He’s just targeting us like the rest of the school! Trying to get us into trouble so that we--”

“ _What_ Jace means, is that Magnus clearly must have seen something else”, Isabelle cuts in smoothly.

Jace simmers down a little, knowing that he went too far, spoke a little too much. Isabelle continues to smile sweetly at Magnus and Ms. Reed, while Alec looks as robotic as always.

Magnus is livid. There is no way in hell I’m gonna let them get away with this, he thinks.

“Fine then! If you don’t believe me, then what if I _can_ get proof for you? Will you believe me then?”

“If you can, then we will”, says a strong voice. Magnus turns around to see that Alec is the one that spoke up. 

“Fine then. I’ll prove it if it’s the last thing I do.”

\---

After the impromptu meeting at Ms. Reed’s office, everyone goes their separate ways. Alec and Jace head back to the boys dormitory while Izzy goes to the girls dormitories. Ms. Reed is accompanied by Gerald as she goes to the teacher’s suites. Magnus is not dumb enough to stay with Alec alone in the room, so he heads to Raphael’s room. 

_“If you need anything, just let me know. I’m in room 414.”_

Right now, in order to not get killed by his possible psychotic roommate and his siblings, he needed Raphael. So, at the most ungodly hour of the morning, he knocked obnoxiously on Raphael’s door, only for him to open it, looking frazzled and absolutely outraged. “What do you think you’re doing here. Do you know what time it is?”

“I need to stay here for the night. It’s a matter of life and death”, Magnus says dramatically.

Raphael looked like he was about to punch Magnus in the face, but instead chose to shrug, let him in, and spread a blanket on the floor where Magnus fell asleep, albeit restlessly.

\---

The calculus class ended relatively early and since it was a Friday, the kids were all free to do as they pleased. Magnus had successfully spent the entire day avoiding Alec and his little gang. He had seen Jace in the cafeteria, sneering at him a couple of times, but he knew better than to see any of them alone. The growing feeling of uneasiness ate away at him as he waited for something, anything. Any sign, proof that they were planning on hurting people.

Magnus didn’t know about the details of their little plan, and even though Alec was skeptical about going through with it, Magnus knew better than to trust the Lightwoods. He kept coming back to his memory of last night. He remembers everything with acute precision. From the faint rustle of the trees as they brushed against each other, to the gentle sparkle of moonlight as it lit up the otherwise dark ground. He remembers crickets chirping and the Lightwood siblings holding hands and murmuring incantations under their breath. 

As he is about to turn and entire a hallway leading to the student center, someone clasps their fist around his arm and uses their other hand to cover his mouth dragging him away into a deserted walkway. They’re strong. Too strong for Magnus. He tries to yell, but his voice only comes out as a muffled scream. Suddenly, the mystery person lets him go and he turns around as quick as he can, hoping to take a good look at the perpetrator.

 _Of course. Of-fucking-course it was Jace Wayland,_ he thinks bitterly.

Before he can turn around to run away, Alec steps from behind him and blocks his way out. Izzy reveals herself from the shadows and soon enough, he’s cornered by all three of them.

Surprisingly, he isn’t afraid. “So, is this the part where you threaten me?”

“Please, we’re not known for such medieval efforts”, Izzy quips back. She doesn’t seem to be angry though, just amused at Magnus’ antics.

“We’re not going to hurt you, Magnus”, Alec says, raising his arms in calming motion, as if relaxing him. This only seems to agitate him more.

“Oh really? Then why corner me like this?”

“Because we’re going to have to ask you to not get involved in this. This is our responsibility. And whatever you heard yesterday was just half of it. You don’t know the whole story. It’s better if you stay out of this.”

“Trust us, Magnus. By inserting yourself in this, you’d be risking your own life. We’re not going to hurt anyone. You have our word”, Izzy continues.

Magnus scoffs. “Oh, and I’m just supposed to believe you three? Excuse me if I’m a little guarded after what happened last night.”

“Well then, what can we do to make you believe us? Believe that we don’t have any wrong intentions?”

Magnus looks doubtful at Alec’s request. So do his siblings. As if they didn’t expect such kindness from Alec.

He knew that even if it would kill him, he would uncover the enigma that is Alexander Lightwood. So, it led him to ask: “if you tell me exactly what’s going on here, then I’ll let it go.”

As soon as the word left his mouth, Jace gaped at him as if he had just been insulted, Izzy’s perfectly shaped eyebrows shot up and Alec simply cocked his head to the side. _It couldn’t have been that bizarre of a request if everything was so normal_ , he thought.

“Well?”, he prompted.

“If we tell you, you’ll let this go? And never utter a single word about this to anyone”, Alec asks.

His siblings start yelling protests before he can even complete his sentence, but Alec’s single-minded focus remains on Magnus.

Slowly, Magnus nods.

“Alright then. We’ll tell you.”


	4. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Did you just quote Spiderman”, Jace muttered.
> 
> “Shut up, Jace”, Izzy seethed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme for this chapter: Primavera - Ludovico Einaudi

When Alec turned 7, he was introduced to the world of magic. It came as no surprise to him considering he had heard his parents talk about it quite frequently with no reservations. He always wondered when he’d be able to practice too. As the eldest child, it was imposed upon Alec that he would someday be the face of the Lightwood household and be held accountable for the actions of his sister. Isabelle was 5, and too young to comprehend the sheer strength of her powers.

Alec knew that he was a witch. A quite powerful one at that. He knew that there were very few wizarding families that remained all over the world, most of which had been prosecuted during the 1690s. He knew better than to raise questions and assess what his magic was being used for. After all, it was tradition. And longstanding practices must be exercised if they wanted to stay alive and honor their ancestors.

Soon after, a young boy named Jace joined them. Maryse introduced him as the newest addition to the family. Alec quickly learned that Jace was the last breathing member of the Herondale family from London. Jace had piercing golden eyes and golden hair. Everything about the boy screamed confidence and pride, and of course, the Lightwoods were pleased to have him in the family. When Jace and Izzy turned 7, they too were taught about their magic and how to wield it.

To keep the facade of normalcy, the Lightwood children were sent to Pinewood Academy, a boarding school not far from their manor. There, they were required to attend classes, speak to no one, and ensure that their secrets were never spilled. It was tradition. As done by their parents, and their grandparents, and the years of witches before them. To Alec, attending Pinewood was more about survival than education.

So, he decided to go. On the weekends, the children would travel back home, where they would be given books about conjuration, deflection, advanced telekinesis, energy channeling, clairvoyance, and telepathy. Witch powers weren’t limited, but only practice would help channel it into something productive. Many witches would choose to subdue their powers instead, resulting in them disappearing altogether until there was nothing but a normal human left.

Aside from honing their supernatural tendencies, the Lightwoods were also trained in physical exercise, should the need ever rise up. Their parents claimed that it helped them gain discipline and a sense of rigor, but Alec knew better. He knew that it was all for protection should their secret ever find its way out.

With learning about practicality and defense mechanisms also came lessons about the history of their family. Robert and Maryse recalled the days of witches as if regaling a bedtime story. They told their children of how there was a time when witches were worshipped. Considered premonitions of nature itself, put on the Earth by a higher power to maintain the balance between all living things. The families were rich and powerful. It was somewhat of an aristocracy. But, as with all positions of authority, the witches were disposed of as well. 

In time, people started to realize that the witches were capable of inducing a lot more harm than help. Their ability to ignite a fire, knock over a tower or even slash a throat with just the flick of a wrist was dangerous and much coveted. So, the witches were hunted. Out of moral ethicality, they initially refused to hurt others, but the need for survival soon overwhelmed that. Some went into hiding, abstaining from their powers while others fought back with enthusiasm. But some, like the Lightwoods, preserved their strength and chose to practice magic in confidence.

The Lightwoods became uncompromising, the epitome of everything humans claimed they were. ‘Its tradition’ they said. And in the name of tradition, they chose to implement rituals. When a member of the coven turned 18, they were required to sacrifice someone of non-magic heritage. It would provide them with complete access to their otherwise dormant powers. This would be the first step into promising implacable fidelity to the family.

And as it so happened, Alec Lightwood’s 18th birthday was just a month away.

\---

When Alec finished talking, Magnus was sitting on the floor, leaning against the stone wall while the others had formed a sort of semicircle around him, looking intently for any signs of discomfort. Or rather, any reaction at all. Magnus was looking at the floor, seemingly in the deep though, not moving a muscle. One might think he was dead if not for the occasional blinking.

The silence stretched out in front of them for a little too long before Jace gave in and said, “well?”

If not for the indisputable seriousness of the situation, Alec would have started laughing at the face Magnus made. It was one that said, _you have got to be kidding me_ , but in a much more bitchy way.

Before Jace could say anything else, Izzy decided to step up, placating the two of them. “Jace, be a little patient, this is a lot to take in.”

“Thank you”, Magnus said, exasperatedly pointing at Izzy.

“Look, we’re not going to ask you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with. But now you know the truth. And as I’m sure from what you heard at the forest last night, we aren’t planning on hurting anybody. I’m going to find a way to get out of the ceremony. But you _can’t_ tell anyone about this”, Alec said.

“What makes you so sure that you won’t?”

“I won’t what?”

“Won’t have to kill anybody.”

Alec flinched a little, grimacing at Magnus’ bluntness. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to talk around in circles”, Magnus said, after realizing that he had been a little too harsh.

“I understand that you’re finding a way out of this, but you have to admit, this is a lot. When I woke up this morning, I didn’t even realize that this was how my day was going to shape out. To find out that there is a whole other world out there that I don’t even know about is a little concerning, if not scary. You can’t go around making demands and asking me to keep all of this to myself when I know that there is a high chance somebody is going to die.”

“Magnus, we’re asking you to do this for your own safety”, Izzy said. “If it was up to us, we would have done something about this a long time ago, but our parents are powerful witches who can’t settle for something lesser than what is expected. Especially when it comes to Alec. If they find out that you know, they will do everything in their power to get rid of you.” Magnus shivered a little at Izzy’s urgent tone and words. “We aren’t going to do that though. We will help make sure that you stay safe as long as you don’t tell anyone about what happened in the forest or what we just told you now. We know that with great power, comes great responsibility, and we won’t misuse it.”

“Did you just quote Spiderman”, Jace muttered.

“Shut up, Jace”, Izzy seethed.

Magnus knew that he had two roads in front of him. One led to a future where he outed the Lightwoods and probably spontaneously combusted due to Robert Lightwood’s intense gaze. He knew that if he did this, the Lightwoods would probably relocate somewhere else, adopt completely new identities and continue with their lives as if nothing happened. Even if Alec didn’t want to complete the ceremony, he’d be forced to. Another road led to a future where he kept the secret, and maybe, just _maybe_ helped the Lightwood’s get away with their little plan. No one would die, and Magnus _wouldn’t_ spontaneously combust. There was the slight risk of trusting the three siblings he barely knew anything about, who would kill him any second, but looking at them right now brought in a whole new perspective. He saw Isabelle’s pleading look, Alec’s desperate eyes, and Jace, who was normally remarkably dismissive, look like he about to cry. So he made his choice.

“Fine then, I’ll keep your little secret.”

\---

It was time for lunch. Everybody was rushing to the cafeteria in masses. As expected, the Lightwoods were sitting quietly at their little corner table.

When Magnus entered the room, he saw Cat turn to him and wave him over again. From the corner of his eye, he saw Alec look at him too. When he turned to face the Lightwoods, Alec quickly ducked his head down and returned to the conversation. 

So he sauntered up to their table and confidently sat down, smiling innocently. 

All three of them turned their heads at the _exact_ same time. It was a little scary. After eying him carefully, Jace asked, “what are _you_ doing here?”

“Helping”, Magnus helpfully supplied. “If you’re asking me to keep your secret, then you’re going to have to keep me in the loop in return.”

“There is no loop, there is only imminent death for you”, Jace hissed.

“Exactly. If I don’t know what gonna happen, I’m probably going to spontaneously combust, which is why _you_ three are going to tell me _exactly_ what it is that you plan on doing.”

“Magnus, I don’t think you understand--”

“Fine then, guess I’ll go happily tell the tales of last night’s escapades to Catarina over there”, Magnus cut him off, smiling and getting up.

Before he could leave the table, Isabelle quickly pulled him down. “Fine, fine! You’ll stay in the loop”, she said, shushing him

“Perfect. Now, what is it what you’re planning on doing?”

He got nothing but three irritated looks in return. Magnus wasn’t going to give up easily though. So he put his head in his hands and leaned forward on the table, a clear indication of his stubbornness.

Finally, after what seemed like ages of intense glaring, the Lightwoods returned to their conservation while Magnus happily listened.

 _Oh boy_ , he thought. _What have I gotten myself into?_


	5. Baffling Dichotomy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a few huff’s of breath, Alec finally gave in.
> 
> “Okay, what?”
> 
> Magnus did his best at attempting to look perplexed. “I didn’t say anything?”
> 
> “You’ve been staring at me ever since you entered the room, so unless you’ve developed a newfound interest in my ass, I’m sure there’s something you’ve been meaning to ask me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme for this chapter: Piano Concerto No. 2 - Dmitri Shostakovich

Outside, the sunset blossomed in hues of pink and gold as it settled over the horizon, making way for deep blues of the night. The clouds stretched out far and wide, merely and a prelude to the heavy showers Magnus knew were coming soon.

They were currently resting in the library, hiding away from the rest of the students. It was close to dinnertime which meant they weren’t allowed anywhere else in the school except the cafeteria, but Isabelle had cast a smooth silencing spell over them. They quickly blended in with the shadows in the far end of the room and stayed put, discussing in hushed tones.

“Blood sacrifices act like bleeding energy reservoirs. We’re able to absorb the strength of our full powers from the nature surrounding us when a human is proffered. The amount of energy a human soul can give is substantial. Enough to source a witch’s power to its full potential”, Isabelle said.

“So, it works like a trade?” Magnus asked.

“In some ways. There’s always the magical residue that’s left behind that needs to be taken care of. Sometimes, rituals are also prone to going erratic. In such cases, cleansing spells must be done.”

“Wow”, Magnus sighed, leaning back.

He caught sight of the dust motes floating around in the air. “So, can you perform any spell anywhere? Or are there restrictions?”

Isabelle looked a little thoughtful for a moment. “It depends. Small spells that don’t require much energy can be done as long as we’re discreet about it. But larger ones, especially those which have feedback or a response triggered of some kind must be done under supervision. That’s of course until we turn 18. Even then, concealed magic should be our topmost priority.”

Over the course of their small acquaintanceship, Magnus had discovered certain things about the Lightwood siblings and their magic. Each of them continuously prioritized each other’s safety so overtly that even their magic did the same. Jace and Isabelle would use it at any chance they got in attempts to show it off, but Alec remained utilitarian with his efforts, ever so pragmatic.

Even after revealing his family’s most guarded secrets to Magnus, Alec chose to remain distant and closed-off. It was, in some ways, endearing. But it frustrated Magnus to no end. He couldn’t seem to figure out how to crack the hard shell and break down the walls Alec had somehow cast around himself. Magnus knew his own motives were simply morbid curiosity. He was always one to believe in the supernatural, but to see it come to life in front of his very eyes sparked a joy anew, soon followed by wonder.

Even now, as they were soaking up the warmth the library had to offer, Isabelle spoke so freely of her magic and powers that one would assume she never had to refrain from doing so in the first place. It was a kind of casual character present in her and Jace. Magnus supposed he could get most of his answers from her.

They lazed around for a while longer, before finally retiring to their bedrooms.

\---

Magnus found Alec scouring through his closet upon entering the room. At the sound of the door clicking, he turned around with a flourish only to sigh softly and go back to his rummaging. The frequent dismissals flew past Magnus at this point. He sat down on his bed with a flop and looked skeptically at Alec.

After a few huff’s of breath, Alec finally gave in.

“Okay, what?”

Magnus did his best at attempting to look perplexed. “I didn’t say anything?”

“You’ve been staring at me ever since you entered the room, so unless you’ve developed a newfound interest in my ass, I’m sure there’s something you’ve been meaning to ask me.”

Magnus wasn’t about to let it slip that  _ yes Alexander, unfortunately, your ass is very flattering,  _ so instead, he leaned back on his bed, in an attempt to look casual. These techniques usually worked with Izzy who was too absorbed in the stories she was telling to study Magnus seriously, but Alec, who was ever-so perceptive had caught on quick.

“Out with it, Magnus”, he probed at Magnus’s long silence.

“I just wanted to know why you wanted a roommate. Izzy told me that you and Jace used to stay together. It would have worked out better considering, well, your uh- situation.”

Alec smiled softly and shook his head, but something about the gesture made it seem as though he was agreeing with Magnus. “Look, there’s a lot that you don’t know. It’s better if it stays that way. Whatever my situation is, I suggest you let me deal with it alone.”

Magnus made a bitter sound. “Look, I’m not going to force you to tell me cause I can tell this is personal, but I’m just being curious. I understand that I’m probably just a thorn at your side with all the poking I’ve been doing around--”

“Wait, that’s not what I--”

“No, it’s fine, I get it. Don’t tell me. Keep your distance. I’m sure this is all just a mild storm that’s bound to pass, right?”

Magnus abruptly got up and began walking towards the front door in a frail attempt to leave when Alec blurted out, “it’s because I’m gay!”

At the threshold, Magnus stilled. It was a rather abrupt confession, usually meant for more intimate settings. Even though he had suspected it, the profession startled him. He slowly turned around, inspecting Alec’s desperate face. After a few moments of somber silence, he walked back to the bed and sat down with a flop.

Alec took a seat beside him, keeping a respectful distance. Magnus suspected it was because of shame rather than his usual cold demeanor. 

“I’m afraid I don’t understand. But I can now see why you didn’t want to tell me.”

“It’s nothing serious. Just that… my siblings don’t know. And I don’t know why I’m telling  _ you _ all this, but don’t go telling Jace and Izzy. Please.”

“Hey, now. No need to sound so condescending. I think you’ll find that I’m good at keeping secrets. And I respect your choice to keep this under the radar.”

“Right.”

_ Well, this is awkward,  _ Magnus though. He didn’t dare to say it out loud though. Alec may start blaming himself then.

“So…”, he said instead.

“So”, Alec echoed.

“You’re yet to tell me how this related to your blonde brother.”

“Ah, Jace.” Alec began fumbling with his thumbs, picking on the fabric of his pants. All tell-tale signs that he was anxious. It didn’t come as a surprise to Magnus. Even he would fumble around and talk in circles when it came to his sexuality. Especially to his father. There were certain topics that you don’t bother unpacking. So, he gave Alec some time.

“You- you know that Jace is adopted, right?”

“Yes…”, Magnus replied warily. He didn’t like where this was going.

“So, um, well, I may have lik-liked him. You know. Like that.”

“Like that?”

“Yeah. In a… different, non-brotherly way.”

Oh.  _ Oh. _

“Oh.”

“It’s nothing serious. Just a stupid crush. I-I’ll get over it. I just thought that staying away from him would do me some good.”

“So, you decided to move in with someone else?”

“That’s just the thing. I asked for a room alone. And they were happy to provide me one since there was an odd number of students attending this year. But you were a last-minute addition to the student body and there were no spare rooms so they decided to put you with me. Otherwise, I would have gone pretty much the entire year without a roommate.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You couldn’t have known. Besides, all of this spiraling out of hand is my fault. If only I was better at sneaking out without waking others up.”

Despite the solemn mood in the room, Magnus let out a peal of laughter, which is quickly covered with his hand. Alec looked over at him, smirking slightly at the reaction. His dark hair was falling over his eyes and Magnus over overcome with the sudden urge to push it away from his face. He could almost feel his finger itching to move closer when Alec pulled away altogether.

“Yeah, I’d understand if you want to look for another room or ask me to move back in with Jace.”

_ Wait, what? _

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

Alec gave Magnus a serious look. “I get it. You don’t have to soften the blow for me or anything.”

“Alec, staying with you doesn’t make me uncomfortable in the least”, Magnus said, getting up from the bed to mimic Alec’s position. 

Alec looked so genuinely surprised that it cracked Magnus’s heart a little. To see the boy who usually looked so sure of himself appear as a stranger in his own skin. Alec’s baffling dichotomy continued to puzzle Magnus.

Magnus softened a little but shot Alec a deadpan look. “I’m not going to judge you. In fact, I’m probably the last person in this school who would.”

At Alec’s questioning peek, he sighed, “I’m bisexual, so excuse me if I hold no reservations.”

Alec instantly perked up. “Oh, I-I didn’t know. I mean, I kinda guessed as much, but I didn’t want to assume. Glad you told me though.”

“Yeah, well. Looks like we’re both in a mood for midnight confessions.”

They both relaxed onto their respective beds after hastily getting ready for bed. There was a newfound sense of camaraderie that Magnus didn’t want to waver. He knew that it would take a lot more than one conversation to gain Alec’s trust, but this was a start. Still, he couldn’t resist asking. 

“Did you find something yet? Regarding the sacrifice?”

After a small shuffle in the dark, Alec said, “not yet. I’m still looking though. Jace, Izzy and I are going to go through some old journals and books this weekend to see if the ceremony has been omitted in the past or not. Maybe that’ll give us a start.”

“Oh, okay.” Perhaps he had already forced himself into this investigation too much. After all, there was some truth to the idea that he was digging his own grave by getting mixed up with the Lightwoods too much. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was living vicariously through them. The thrill and mystery of not knowing what came next, to always be looking for answers, one step ahead was getting to his head. _ I’d better step down _ , he thought, sobering his head.

It didn’t take a genius to know that he wasn’t exactly welcome either. Alec had been kind enough to avoid him, Jace was still overtly throwing him looks of suspicion and disdain while Isabelle would only last as long as her excitement would. 

He decided not to speak another word and go straight to sleep.

Surprisingly enough, it was Alec who broke the silence again. “Would you like to join us?”

“What?”

“Yeah, do you wanna come along? I mean, four pairs of hands are better than three anyway.”

Magnus didn’t know what had changed between their dynamic so drastically that it made Alec want to invite him. But, he knew without a doubt that if wanted, he was always going to be there.

“Sure, I’ll come.”

He heard Alec make an affirmative noise in return and they left it at that.

With a soft sigh, Magnus brought the blankets closer to himself, relishing in the remaining warmth. His thoughts drifted to a hopeful tomorrow and he closed his eyes, letting sleep consume him whole.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are appreciated!


End file.
